Busch faces tough odds

Posted: Saturday, August 26, 2006

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Kurt Busch hasn't given up qualifying for the Chase for the Championship, but he knows he faces nearly impossible odds - like getting through tonight's Sharpie 500 without denting a fender.

Busch, like several other drivers in tonight's race at the Bristol Motor Speedway, is thinking beyond the 10-race playoffs. The last 13 races in the Nextel Cup Series season also can serve as a springboard for 2007.

"We look at it as an opportunity to race hard and get a win," Busch said after snagging the pole position Friday afternoon for the main event. "We're coming up to tracks where I've won. The better trophy is the run for the Chase. It's very slim, but we haven't given up yet. We're looking at (tonight's race) as our first race (for the future). We're working toward a momentous finish here."

Busch is 14th in the point standings, 279 points behind 10th-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. The toughest challenge for Earnhardt is to fend off Kasey Kahne in 11th place. He's only 49 points behind. It would almost take a miracle for anyone else to make a run at the top 10.

Earnhardt was third in the rankings five races ago, and now he's clinging to the final qualifying spot. To hang on, he must survive a half-mile short track known for accidents and tempers.

"It's wild. It's hard to describe," Earnhardt said. "Well, it is what it is. I'd love to be in third, first, or second (place). It is what it is. Racing is racing. I know that Bristol is dangerous and you can get in accidents here very easily compared to other race tracks. But other race tracks have different things about them too that sort of bring up a question mark about whether you're going to be all right or run good or whatever."

When teams essentially are knocked out of the Chase, they immediately start working toward the next season. In the past three weeks, Evernham Motorsports fired Jeremy Mayfield and hired Elliott Sadler. Robert Yates Racing hired David Gilliland to replace Sadler. Michael Waltrip already has hired Dale Jarrett to drive one of his Toyotas next year, and Bill Davis announced Friday Mayfield will drive one of his Toyotas next year as well.

The top 14 drivers in the standings are going to stay with their current teams, so a lot of their preparation is for the upcoming Chase - and beyond.

Busch has five wins at Bristol. He said the secret is avoiding the crashes - and the temptation to retaliate in anger.

"You have to be cool for the race," he said. "There's so many things that happen here at Bristol, whether it be a guy running into you or having someone check up three or four cars ahead of you. Regardless, you have to be cool."